The Fallen House of Branwen
by Ray by Another Name
Summary: In the world of Westeros, where semblances and grimms and the inescapable fight between Ozpin and Salem all accounted for, Ser Winter Schnee, heir of Highgarden, is charged with taking care of a bandit problem in the western region of the Seven Kingdoms. The Branwen Tribe, however, may have ties to the fallen House Branwen, which had previously held Casterly Rock.


Part of my A Song of Semblance and Shards series. The characters of RWBY in the world of Westeros, with semblances and grimms and the inescapable fight between Ozpin and Salem all accounted for.

Ser Winter Schnee, heir of Highgarden, is charged with taking care of a bandit problem in the western region of the Seven Kingdoms. The Branwen Tribe, however, may have ties to the fallen House Branwen, which had previously held Casterly Rock and her mother's own title of Warden of the West. Complications ensue.

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**The Fallen House of Branwen  
**

"Why do you have to leave?" Weiss followed Winter as she walked from her chambers. Her eyes were wide and damp with unshed tears. "You only just got back."

Winter straightened and looked down at her younger sister. "The people of the Reach and the Westerlands are being ravaged by bandits, it is the duty of the Warden of the West to protect them."

"But that's father, not you," Weiss whined, balling her small hands into fists. Winter crouched down, placing her hands on her sister's shoulder. She was still just a girl, still learning.

"Do you know how father became the Warden of the West?"

Weiss nodded, "King Ozpin gave him the title after the Fall of House Branwen." Winter smiled, pleased.

"That's right. Casterly Rock held the Warden of the West from the time of the Targaryen Conquest, but it came to Highgarden after Ozpin's Rebellion." Winter patted Weiss's cheek, "And I am the heir of Highgarden."

If Weiss could tell she was leaving things out, she didn't say, she merely nodded. "I understand." She hugged Winter fiercely then, "Please come back safe."

"I will," Winter kissed the top of her sister's head and then stood. She rode out from Highgarden with a small contingent of knights and squires.

The bandits were last reported on the edge of the Riverlands, near the Golden Tooth. She did not head north though, but south, towards Dorne. The bandits were not just run-of-the-mill outlaws, but an organized force calling themselves the Branwen Tribe. The last two Branwens were suppose to be in Dorne.

-.-.-

Winter spent the ride to Starfall reading the books that the maester gave her on House Branwen. He'd slipped a letter in with a few missing bits as well, which Winter appreciated. She'd been just a babe when Ozpin rebelled and her grandfather had kept Highgarden staunchly neutral. It was only after his death that her father had declared for House Pine on her mother's behalf.

House Branwen had remained loyal to the Targaryens and been nearly wiped out for their trouble. While the last Targaryen, Princess Salem, had escaped to Essos, the last Branwens had been stripped of everything - land, titles, freedom - before they'd reached their tenth year.

Raven and Qrow. They were odd names by Winter's standards, but the Branwens had named their children after birds for centuries apparently. Descendants of the First Men, several of the Branwens had claimed to be able to warg into birds. With a history like that, Winter reasoned it was sensible to keep such a tradition.

The books said that the twins had been fostered in King's Landing after their mother's death and their father's execution. The Dornish Princess Summer had also been fostered by King Ozpin and when she returned home to take her seat the Branwens went with her.

It was the letter that filled in the blanks. The twins were often under the care of the Grand Maester, their training was personally overseen by the king himself. He entertained no suitors for the girl and would allow no knights to squire the boy. Winter knew bastards that had been treated better.

"My lady," one of her men leaned from his horse to tap her shoulder. She folded the letter back into the book as she raised her head. They'd reached Starfall.

They were greeted immediately by a boy with strikingly blue hair and a flirtatious smile. "I'm Neptune Vasilias, heir of Starfall," the boy bowed, low and dramatic. Winter raised a brow. "I'd be happy to show you to your rooms."

"Has the envoy from Sunspear arrived yet?" Winter asked the boy as she dropped from her horse. She patted the white mare softly as she slid her book into the satchel on her side.

"Uh…" the boy rubbed at his neck, "Princess Summer is here. If that's what you mean." Winter's brow moved higher. She'd sent a raven to Sunspear with her request for a meeting at Starfall. She had not expected the head of House Rose to come herself.

Winter nodded to her second-in-command before walking up to the boy, "Then I will see her first, before my room." She continued into the castle, leaving the boy to stumble after her. She smiled, Neptune was probably Weiss's age by the look of him, but he reminded her more of Whitley with his bluster and bravado.

He left her at the entrance to a room, running ahead to inform the Princess of Winter's arrival. He ushered her into the sitting room with a flourish and then fled immediately, as if he expected a fight. Given the history between the Reach and Dorne, that was probably smart.

"What exactly do you want from this, Lady Winter?" Summer Rose did not look away from the window beside her seat. Winter tensed. The title irked her, she'd worked hard for her knighthood. She could see Summer was distracted, however, so she chose not to take offense. For now.

"There's bandits in the western lands. They're calling themselves the Branwen Tribe."

Now the Princess of Dorne turned her eyes on her guest. Silver met blue, hard and unflinching. Neither blinked.

"I would like to speak to Raven and Qrow. They may hold insight into who may be behind this group of outlaws." Winter very carefully did not accuse either twin of leading the group, though it was obvious that at least one of then was.

"Come with me."

Winter followed Summer from the room. They navigated through halls and staircases before coming into a small courtyard. Two girls were practicing with wooden swords - one fair-haired and the other dark. While she'd never met the Dornish princesses, she had heard of them. There were rumors that they were both Sands in truth, that Summer had married the man from Bravos to legitimize them.

Such rumors seemed preposterous when looking at them. The older had the same look as Taiyang Xiao-Long and the younger was a near twin to her mother.

It took Winter a few moments to realize that the man standing beside the royal consort was Qrow Branwen himself. By that time, Qrow's eyes had pinned her to the ground. Winter swallowed.

"Qrow will tell you what he can," Summer turned to winter with a sour expression, "But I'm afraid Raven left us at the beginning of this summer."

That was when the Branwen Tribe had first appeared. Winter nodded her understanding, "I can assure you my goal is not bloodshed. I merely wish to bring those responsible to justice."

"The only justice you'll get from Raven will require bloodshed." Qrow's voice was deep and gravely as he appeared by her side. A shiver ran up Winter's spine at the sound. Her face remained composed.

"We don't know th-"

Qrow snorted, "Stop dreaming, Summer, we both know it's Raven. She's always wanted to go home." He shrugged, "Guess she finally decided to do it."

"You believe your sister is leading the bandits then?" Winter asked him, head tilted to the side as she looked into his red eyes. He nodded. "Would you be willing or able to tell me what tactics and strategies she would utilize?"

Qrow leaned into her space, eyes narrowed as he looked her up and down, "No." Winter scowled. "She's willy. But I will help you."

"Help me?" Winter raised a brow. In the short time she'd been standing with Qrow, her entire field of vision and awareness had been shrinking. Now, the only thing she knew was Qrow. His eyes, looking into hers. His body, just a touch too close for propriety.

"Yeah, help." Qrow's mouth quirked up. "I'll go with you."

-.-.-

It took two weeks to track down the bandits' camp. It had been Qrow's suggestion that they head toward Castamere and, lo and behold, the bandits had taken the abandoned castle as their own.

"My sister's always enjoyed a little irony." Qrow settled beside her on the cliff. Their shoulders knocked. Winter ignored the clench of her abdomen as Qrow's breath sailed past her ear. "If she doesn't have sentries, I'll eat my sword." His chuckle sent what felt like the hundredth shiver through her body.

Winter was beyond frustrated with herself. She'd worked with attractive men before. Seven hells, she'd squired for Ironwood! But here she was, reacting like a girl from some stupid song to Qrow Branwen, a scruffy-haired swordsman from a fallen house.

"Can you keep a secret, Schnee?" Qrow whispered and her head moved to look at him. He raised a brow, waited, eyes focused on hers. He never used either of her titles, but when they spoke he looked into her eyes.

"Depends on the secret," Winter said before looking back out at the landscape. Qrow chuckled again and she felt his eyes travel down her body as he propped himself up on his side.

A hand ghosted over the exposed skin of her arms, "I think you're trustworthy." He muttered something more under his breath about not regretting it and then he was gone.

Winter started, rising onto her haunches and grasping the pommel of her sword. That's when she saw the bird. Red eyes focused intently at her as it sat on a low branch.

It cawed and then took flight. Winter tracked it, keeping low. The crow flew over the small wooded area below the cliff that surrounded the castle. It circled the ruin and then returned.

Just like that, Qrow was lying beside her on the ground again. His shoulder knocking against hers. "That a secret you'll keep?" His head was pulled low and close to hers. Improperly so.

"I don't think anyone would believe it, were I to say anything," Winter swallowed hard, "But yes, I will keep it." Qrow's thanks were whispered directly into her ear and she felt the pull of his lips upwards against her skin when the shiver ran down her body.

Winter shoved him away with a glower, "Behave yourself, Qrow." His eyes lingered on her body a moment more, before he met her eyes.

"Nope."

-.-.-

They took the castle with little bloodshed. A fact she thanked the seven for when it became obvious half the so-called bandits were barely old enough to lift a sword, let alone wield one.

Qrow had taken one look at the group of children and fled the room. Winter didn't blame him, though she did go looking for him after the children had been disarmed and corralled. She found him easily enough, sitting on the ground outside and leaning against a decrepit wall.

A hand motion stopped her. He stood, eyes suddenly trained on a spot directly in front of him. She saw the red sparks in the air and took cover behind the wall.

"So, you're with them."

The voice was deep, like Qrow's, but decidedly feminine. Winter pulled a small mirror from her satchel so she could watch the interaction on the other side of the wall.

"So, you're using children." Qrow had a hand on his sword, but Raven had hers drawn. Her body had tensed at his words.

Winter couldn't make out Raven's face through what appeared to be a Grimm mask. Grimm resided beyond the wall, there were sightings at times, but there hadn't been a sighting south of the Neck since Ozpin's rebellion.

"Why are you doing this, Raven?" Qrow sighed when he spoke. His hand left his sword and he slouched back against the wall. Despite his posture Winter could tell his entire body was tense.

Raven snorted, "Why not? They're not our people anymore."

"Ozpin took the titles, not the responsibilities."

Winter blinked. She'd assumed Qrow was helping her because Raven was his sister. She hadn't considered that he might hold some loyalty to the Westerlands still.

"It's Ironwood's problem now." Raven spit the name as if the taste of it made her sick. That, that was more along what Winter expected. "Or Schnee's. He's the Warden of the West."

Winter's shoulders tensed at her father's mention. He wasn't, technically, a Schnee. He was the younger son of a younger son from the North. Her mother was, ostensibly, the one that held the titles of Lady of Highgarden, Warden of the West.

"Don't lie to me, Raven." Qrow's voice took on a darker edge. "You don't give a shit about Jimmy. He's just a puppet, always had been. This is about Ozpin."

Raven snarled, "You say his name like it's nothing!"

"He is." Qrow shrugged. "We were safe in Dorne. Happy." Raven snorted again. "Something to share?"

"We've never been more than someone's pets. First we were Ozpin's, then we were Summer and Tai's." Raven's voice had dropped lower. Qrow had straightened at the mention of the Dornish princess and her husband.

Winter didn't know how to process what she was hearing. Every sentence was loaded with history, with a past that was only hinted at in Klein's letter and books.

"If you think they're like Ozpin, you're an idiot." Qrow's hand fell onto his sword again.

Raven chuckled, dark and derisive, "We're just tools, little brother. Weapons they can aim at their enemies." She gestured with her sword, "And I'm not going to be anyone else's pet again."

The sparks returned as she slashed the space beside her. A portal opened. Raven was gone. Qrow slouched back against the wall again.

"Are you alright?" Winter asked as she came out from the other side. She stood beside him, a hand hovering just above his arm.

In seconds her back was pressing into the stone as Qrow's lips covered hers. She could have shoved him away. Should have, even. But her arms wrapped around his neck instead, fingers curling into his shaggy hair as his mouth moved against hers.

His tongue slid across her bottom lip once before he started kissing along her jaw. Winter groaned, arching into his chest. She hooked a leg around his waist and rolled her hips. He bit into her neck with a moan.

Winter pulled his head back up, kissing him in earnest. He made little noises as her teeth scraped along his lips and her tongue pressed into the roof of his mouth.

"Are you a maiden?" Qrow gasped when he broke the kiss. He breathed into her mouth, lips barely parted as he stared into her eyes.

She met them with her own, "Does that matter?"

"Not to me."

-.-.-

They reached Casterly Rock in a fortnight. Lord Ironwood met them at the gate with his guard. The children, the bandits, were escorted to cells.

"What will be done with them?" Winter asked as they walked into the hall.

Ironwood smiled at her, "You always did have a soft heart under all that iron." He sighed, "Your father sent word that they should be punished to the full extent."

"The mines?" Winter's eyes widened. They stopped in the grand hall. The men behind her all froze at her tone. Ironwood's eyes flickered to them as he nodded. "They're only children."

"It's the standard punishment, Winter."

Qrow snorted and the whole room looked to him. He was trailing along the side of the hall, eyes gazing upward as he took in what had once been a familiar room.

"Do you have something to say, Branwen?" Ironwood's eyes hardened on the man. Qrow's gaze fell to his. Winter's spine straightened at the intensity.

"I just thought this was your land now, Jimmy, not Jacques'." Qrow gestured outward. "You've met my sister. You know how she likes to talk with her sword. You expect a little kid to tell her no?" The eyes sharpened, "You couldn't."

Winter raised a brow at her mentor. His whole body had tensed, even as his face smoothed out. There was definitely a story here, but she could ask Qrow later.

"What would you suggest, Qrow?" Winter asked him. She felt Ironwood's gaze move to her, but she kept her eyes focused on the man before her.

Qrow inclined his head, "The Nights Watch." He looked to Ironwood, "They're not old enough to take the vows yet. They could work and train and it would give you time to decide what to do with them."

"They could still end up in the mines," Ironwood crossed his arms, "If they're not willing to join the Watch when they come of age, they'd be right back here."

Qrow shrugged, "When they're of age, you'll have a better sense of who they are. You can make a more informed decision."

"You know," Ironwood chuckled as he nodded, "I'd forgotten how clever you are, Qrow. If a little, unorthodox." He gestured for his guard captain, relayed his orders. When he led Winter into his solar, he called for Qrow to join them.

There was definitely a story. Ironwood handed Qrow a glass of whiskey, set the bottle beside him. Qrow rolled his eyes and set the glass on the table untouched. Winter watched them with careful eyes. There was a lot left unsaid as they took seats opposite each other at the table.

Winter sat beside Qrow, watched Ironwood's expression. His eyes flickered between them and his lips twitched as he smiled. It was, Winter was certain, a very interesting story.

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